Two press breakdown drills
From John Kimble, formerly of Crestview High School, Florida

These defensive drills are designed for any team using a full-court pressure defense. Many of the techniques taught and emphasized in these drills are adaptable to other defensive systems and should ultimately allow your team to play multiple full-court defensive schemes.

Besides the obvious defensives benefits, these drills provide excellent work on a player’s ball-handling skills and conditioning.

Corral & Stalk Drill

DIAGRAM 1: This press breakdown drill features two defenders against two offensive players. The offensive player without the ball (2) must stay behind the ball to receive any pass from 1. The two defenders work on chasing 1 down and “corralling” or controlling the dribble so they can trap the ball.

DIAGRAM 2: If the ball is passed out of the trap, the defender nearest 2 must approach the new dribbler under control to allow their defensive teammate time to recover and help trap the new dribbler.

Corral & Sprint Back Drill

Diagrams 3 and 4

DIAGRAMS 3-4: This drill is the same as the Corral and Stalk Drill, except it incorporates two more offensive players and a third defender. Because we acknowledge that our press will occasionally break down, it’s important to run this drill. We work on not giving up layups and contesting every shot by practicing on getting back by sprinting and not just watching.

The drill continues just like before, except now the offense has the option to pass over the top of the trap to one of the offensive players along the sideline. Once a pass is made to 3 or 4, they should dribble hard and attack the basket. X3 must quickly scramble to his or her feet and protect the basket.

X1 and X2 must anticipate the pass and sprint to get back and stop the break. The defender closest to the ball handler should try and back-tip or deflect the ball, while the other should sprint back through the middle of the court.